Tennis racket and the like



Nov. 24, 1925- F. w. GOWER Er AL TENNIS RACKET AND THE um:

fire/172K? z mm' 'w Filed June 29, 1923 Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

warren FRANCIS? wrnnraivr eownn; Hoeii AMIE-s ownn, A BIRMINGHAM,ENGLAND.

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TENN-Is RACKET A-Ni) TH'ELIKE; 1-

Application filed June 29, 1923. Serial No. 648,539.

To all w/zom it may CORK/CPR! I Be lllliDUWll that we, FRANCIS lvlnerrir ain, 1'QS1Cl1Ilg2li Dunoom Russell Road,

Moseley, Birn'nngham, in the county of War "wick En 'land HUGH JAMESOWEN a subject of tlie King;- of Great Britain, residing mentsin orRelating. to Tennis Rackets and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

The-present invention comprehends a tennis racket or thelike having incombination a frame and a handle formedby bendinga single strip of solidsection bar to a bow formation and directing extremities parallelrelation to constitute the handle, a spacing piece immovably orpermanently secured across the how or frame at its junc tion'wit-h thelimbs of the-handle and a'wire striking: face engaged with apertures inthe frame andintlie spacing; piece.

In order that this invention may be clear reimderstood and readilycarried into practice reference may be had to the appended explanatorysheet of drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a tennis racketconstructedaccordingto the present invention liig'ur'e is a longitudinalsection takenon line (t(t of Figure 1. v I

Figure Pris atransverse section taken on the line 7)-?) of Figure 1.

Figures t and 5 illustrate in enlarged section and plan res fiectivelyfragments of the frame showing the pz'rrtieular apertures (herein.

Tn a convenient embodiment of the present-invention a strip of aluminiumor other suitable metal of rectangular fiat or solid section is benttothe bow formation to form the frame land its-extremities ems directedoutwardly in parallelism to constitute the handle. -This strip maybe ofslightly reduced transverse ineasurement at or towards its centre. part8 to obtain the correct'bal ance and" strength for the bow. A; spacingor wedge-piece l isincorporated atthe june tion of the bow 1 with thehandle 2 between the two limbs. This spacing or wedge pi'ece is ofalun'iinium formed by casting, pressing: or other suitable operation andis riveted or otherwise permanently secured in position as foreXa-mpleat This spacing or wedge-pieceis in the forni'of a hollowframethe outer faces of which bear against the inner convergingfaces ofthe frame or bow, and the inner element indicated by the numeral lcompletes the'bow or frame of the racket. The spacing piece may'involvea frame 6 adapted to wedge between the lunbsof the handle andlee-riveted thereto,

a't the points 5 aforesaidywhich frame has integrally formed therewiththe curved or segmental part L which completes the contour of the bow orframe and isperforated for the wireahd gradually diminishes at itsextremities into such bow on frame beingrivetedthereto; The parallellimbs 2 of the handle are transversely drilled for lightness at '7,an-d'are' spaced apart by small bridging pieces 8,-9 secured by rivets,screws or the like, and the handle iscompleted by two sheet metalchannelmembers 10 which" are placed between parallel limbs of the handle andadapted to bear on the bridge pieces 8, 9 on each side of thesaidhandle. The bridge piece 8 may be undercut as shown to accommodatethe-extremities ofthe members 10.- These channel members 10 areafterwards suitably boundor secured in position by anycovering or othersuitable means and] the extremity of the handle is closed by-a inetalcapl1 and rubber or other cover 12. The how 1 has a series-ofperforations13 around its periphery for the receptionof the striking facewhielrinvolves ahiglr tensile bani steeliustless wire or twisted strandwire l l threaded through the apertures backwards andforwards in theusual nu. r. The apertures 13 are sub ected at their outer extremities,that is, from outside of the frame to a punchingwor pressing operationfrom a pointed die or tool. adapted around the entire frame and thespacing or wedge piece and force the whole outwardly and thereby veryefficiently tighten the striking face. Alternatively, the planishingoperation may be effected manually.

Instead of such planishing operation to tension the striking face we mayemploy the method of wiring the frame under tension produced by atemporary deformation of the frame as set forth in our divisionalapplication which has eventuated into Patent 1,545,314, dated July 7,1925.

The section of the bar or strip may vary considerably; it may beinternally or externally grooved and is of a solid character.

In another. embodiment of the present invention, a length of extrudedbar may be bent to constitute the bow and the handle.

If desired, instead of using ordinary straight wire for the strikingface, spirally wound or crinkled wire may be employed to give a flexiblestriking face. Further, in anyof the striking faces aforesaid, lengthsof rubber or rubber strip, tubing, or the like may be threaded throughthe wire striking face with a view to avoiding any sound or noise whichmay occur upon striking the ball. i

In the present invention, an all metal racket or bat is presented withthe exception, perhaps, of the binding orgripping surface upon thehandle and its rubber extremity.

and rackets constructed according to this invention can have theirstriking face tightened at any time should they become slack by themechanical or other planishing operation, aforestated.

lVhat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A tennis racket or the like, having in combination'a frame and ahandle formed by bending a single strip ofsolid section bar to a bowformation and directing and fastening its extremities in parallelrelation to constitute the handle, an arcuate metal spacing piecesecured across the bow frame at its junction with the limbs'of thehandle to complete the elliptical configuration of the frame and tosupport, in corn junction with said bow frame, a wire striking face thecomponents of which are engaged with apertures in the frame and in thearcuate piece, said arcuate spacing piece having an integral hollowwedge which fits between the limbs of the handle andis secured thereto.

2. A tennis racket or the like, having in combination a frame and ahandle formed by bending a single strip of solid section bar to a bowformation and directing its extremities in parallel relation toconstitute the handle,ean arcuate piece having an integral hollow wedgesecured across the bow frame at its junction with the limbs of thehandle, said hollow wedge fitting between and being secured to saidlimbs, a wire striking face engaged with apertures in the frame and inthe spacing piece, and a number of bridge pieces secured between thesaid limbs of the handle beyond the said wedge.

3. A tennis racket or the like, having in combination a frame and ahandle formed by bending a single strip of solid section bar to a bowformation and directing and fastening its extremities in parallelrelation to constitute the handle, an arcuate metal spacing piecesecured across the bow frame at its junction with the limbs of thehandle to complete the elliptical configuration of the frame, saidarcuate piece having an integral hollow wedge frame for fitting betweensaid limbs of the handle, said arcuate piece further supporting inconjunction with the said how frame a wire striking face the componentsof which are engaged with apertures in the frame and in the arcuatepiece, some of said components engag ing said arcuate piece on each sideof the wedge, and a number of bridge pieces secured between the limbs ofthe handle beyond said wedge;

4. A tennis racket or the like having in combination a bent metal bowframe the extremities whereof are continued to constitute thehandle, anarcuate spacing piece the ends'of which seat against and are socured tothe sides of the bow frame, said spacing piece having a rigid wedgeframe PIOJGCtJHg from it intermediate of its ends which wedge fitsbetween and is secured to the limbs of said handle andterminates at thethroat portion of said bow frame and handle, said spacing member thushaving a four point attachment .across the throat portion of the racketframe, and a flexible striking face for the racket laced in said bowframe and in the arcuate spacing piece. 5. A tennis racket or the like,having in combination a frame and a handle formed from a single strip ofsolid section bar, having a central part of reduced section taperingfrom the ends, by bending said tapered strip to a bow formation anddirecting its extremities in parallel relation to constitute the handle,an arcuate spacing piece secured across the bow frame at itsjuuctiouivith the limbs of the handle, a wedge on said spacing piece,said. wedge engaging said limbs and a wire striking face engagec'l withapertures in the frame and in the spacing piece.

6. A tennis racket or the like, having in combination a frame and ahandle formed by bending a single strip of solid section bar, thecentral part of which is of reduceiil section tapering from the ends, toa bow formation and continuing the extremities in parallel relation forthe full length of a handle, an arcuate metal spacing piece so-1,5ea,ee1 :3

cured across the bow frame at its junction said limbs upon which handgrip portions with the limbs of the handle to complete the are secured.1 elliptical configuration of the frame and to In witness whereof wehave hereunto set support, in conjunction with said bow our hands.

frame, a wire striking face the components of which are engaged withapertures in the FRANCIS \VILLIAM GOVVER. frame and in the arcnatepiece, and a num- HUGH JAMES OWEN.

her of bridge pieces at intervals between ROBERT JOHN NASH.

